The Least of These

​Matthew 25:37-40 ~ “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
 
At some point on the journey of faith the Christian must become aware that there is nothing we can add to the LORD that He should find benefit from us. He who dwells in everlasting light, who is eternal and omnipotent, who holds the universe in His precisive care and does not miss a single moment of time, He is the LORD Jesus Christ, God Almighty and Creator of all things. Romans 11:33-36 proclaims, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”
 
Kings of this earth receive benefit and tribute from their subjects and rulers of the earth need the support of their people. But not the LORD. God speaks in Psalm 50:12, ““If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.” Dear reader, you have not given God Almighty anything that has increased or enhanced His being. He is subject to no one, and is a debtor to none. And, yet, we are fully and unquestioningly debtors to Him. He gave us life—and we sinned it away. Then He came to redeem any and all who would believe on Him by faith in the LORD Jesus Christ. He paid full price, and sufficiently more, to satisfy the debt of sin held against us before the Father. Titus 2:14 declares, “[Jesus Christ] who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”
 
Our hearts, however, long to repay the King for His kindness—yet there is nothing that we can do to repay. We hear Him say in Matthew 25:35-36, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” And then we ask the question of our text for today: “when did we see you” in such a state? And this is the first thing we must understand: that as we look upon our LORD, we see Him robed in splendor and filled with might. He has no need of anything nor is He in such a condition that would require our provision. So, we ask—how does He describe Himself in such desperate terms?
 
This brings us to the second part of our text today: “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” Oh, beloved, you must understand how closely identified the LORD is with His church. He does not separate Himself from His people as often do the kings and rulers of this world. He does not look upon the desperate state of those who belong to Him and decry their condition, but so completely sets His affections upon them that it is as if He is enduring their suffering as well. And, more than that, He will judge our love toward Him by our willingness to sacrifice for those who belong to Him. Romans 13:8 states, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
 
Dear ones, when you see your brothers and sisters in Christ, do you see them in such a way that you know to love them is to love our LORD? Some will look upon those who are struggling in their life and merely dismiss them. But the LORD never does. Deuteronomy 10:18 says of God, “He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.” And so, as we seek to love the LORD Jesus, we know that He has instructed us to love Him in such a way that it will be poured out even to the “least of these my brothers.”
 
So, my friends, let us strive to love as Christ has commanded. The Apostle Paul was eager to remember the poor among the church (see Galatians 2:9-10). He rejoiced in the generosity of the church in Romans 15:26, “For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.” Though we cannot add to the LORD Himself, let us do as He instructs and bring blessing to those who are His.
 
In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

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